If I Can't Have You
by purple lolly
Summary: Hephaistion wakes up after a huge party with a hangover only to findhimself in bed with Cleitus. Cleitus think it is the start of something but Hephaistion thinks it is nothing more than a drunken mistake.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sunlight filled the room causing a sleeping Hephaistion to roll over and groan.

Just how much did I drink at the party last night? he thought

He reached out and felt an arm and a leg he opened one eye and smiled as he closed it again hoping for a few more minutes before he had to get up.

No sooner had his eyes closed they both snapped open and fear sent him off the bed.

"What the hell are you doing here." he screamed at the figure

Cleitus rolled over and smiled when he saw that Hephaistion was stood naked next to the bed, Hephaistion frowned and quickly picked up the green robe that had been slung on the back of the chair and covered him up when suddenly he had a horrible thought.

"We didn't did we?" he asked

Cleitus nodded "you were to drunk to remember."

Hephaistion put his hand over his mouth that is how much he had drunk at the party.

He remembered the start, then the crowd cheering for a wrestling match between him and Alexander and of course he won two matches out of three, then he remembered drinking a lot more than usual then after that it was all blank.

Cleitus could see him struggling and decide to help him out.

"I offered to help you back to your room as for a change I was not yet drunk when we arrived in your room you said that you wanted me and when I refused you started to call for the guard to take me away and have me arrested for treason soI had to kiss you just to shut you up then you gave me no choice in the matter right before we did it you said "oh if only I could make you king."

As Cleitus told the tale of how they spent the night Hephaistion put his hands over his ears and began shaking his head, he felt physically sick he rushed over to the chamber pot which had yet to be filled and heaved up the content of his stomach.

As he laid there weeping arms snaked there way around his waist and pulled him close.

"There my love," Cleitus soothed which made Hephaistion shudder

"Don't ever call me that." he whispered

Cleitus looked at him puzzlement crossed his face "But what about last night."

Hephaistion pulled away from him stood up and squared his shoulders.

"Last night was nothing more than a stupid mistake." he said holding up his head

Cleitus scrambled up and grabbed Hephaistion by the upper arms

"But all the things you said."

Hephaistion said nothing and looked away

He felt sorry for Hephaistion because for as long as he could remember the others had always labelled him as nothing more than the Kings lay.

However he understood what they did not having been in a similar situation with Alexander's father that a king only needed one person close him even if that closeness runs into the bedroom.

Yet should have knew that it was nothing more than a stupid mistake but last night when he held Hephaistion he felt something for the younger man and he wanted to try and start something more than a one night stand.

"But I thought." he began

Hephaistion backhanded Cleitus as hard as he could

"Don't," he said genteelly

Cleitus who was in shock at being struck by a underling stood there open mouthed

"Get out!" Hephaistion screamed picking up Cleitus' clothes and flinging them at him.

Then Cleitus became angry, angry at Hephaistion for hitting him and making him feel like nothing more than a cheap whore.

Hephaistion stood with back to him as he dressed now and then Cleitus looked up at him and the anger would fade into sadness.

"Please reconsider." He tried one last time

"I said get out!" Hephaistion barked this time picking up a vase and hurling that at him.

Sadness was replaced by anger once more and this time Cleitus drew himself up his full height and matched over to the smaller man ands towered above him.

"Nobody makes a full out of me," he hissed "nobody

With that he turned on his heels and left slamming the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Once Hephaistion had gotten over the shock of his nights activities he quickly changed and went to see Alexander.

When he entered the king's room he found the curtains still drawn and Alexander sitting in a chair with a cloth over his face.

When he heard someone come into the room Alexander took the cloth off his face and smiled thinly as Hephaistion came to stand next to him.

"Hey," he said "I think I drank too much last night."

He took hold of Hephaistion's arm and pulled him down so that he was eyelevel "And so did you it seemed."

"I know," Hephaistion replied dryly "that is what I have come to ask you about."

Alexander shifted position "Ok ask away."

Hephaistion sucked at his bottom lip "Do you remember if I left with someone,"

Alexander shifted position again and rolled his eyes as if searching for that memory he frowned.

"I'm sorry honey I can't," he said sadly "Why was it important."

Hephaistion cursed, Alexander was useless when he drinks before during and after.

He stood up "No it's not that important so it can wait."

Alexander frowned it didn't like it when Hephaistion did that tell him something then say it didn't matter or it can wait.

Hephaistion didn't stop long "Feel better." he said before leaving

When he finally got back to his room after filling in for Alexander where he could he found a note from Cleitus.

Hephaistion groaned as he opened it and began to read; when he had finished reading he picked up the nearest candle put it to the corner of the letter and watched as the flames took hold before dumping it into a empty wine jug and watched it burn.

Despite knowing that he had no interest in him and that his heart belongs to Alexander Cleitus still wanted him to be with him.

Hephaistion shook his head what was he to do, maybe he could ignore Cleitus and hoped that he would get bored of pursuing him and go after someone else he had seen it happen, tell Alexander then again maybe not it was his mess he could handle it ,should he gave in and let Cleitus have his wish.

At that thought Hephaistion nearly slapped himself giving in was not an option no matter what happened.

He was not surprised when another letter came the next day and the days that followed.

Pages and pages of love rants each more graphic in there detail than the last, each one ended up begin burned.

It was also around this time he noticed things going missing from his room, things that maybe other people wouldn't notice were gone but he would and he knew exactly who had taken them.

He knocked firmly on Cleitus's door and wait for an answer.

"Enter."

Hephaistion took a deep breathe and went into the room.

"Well well this is a surprise," Cleitus said arching his eyebrows "Please sit."

Hephaistion took one look at the chair he was being offered and continued to stand.

"Or stand if you prefer." Cleitus said with disappointment in his tone "Now have you come about my offer."

"Yes and No." Hephaistion replied "Yes because I know it was you who have been taking things from my room and I want them back right now and No I am not inrested in anything you have to offer me."

Cleitus nodded listened to what Hephaistion had to say; when Hephaistion had stopped speaking Cleitus smiled for he had a plan.  
"You must be mistaken for I have not set foot in your room since our night together."

Hephaistion mouth dropped open he was laying

"You lie." he hissed

Cleitus shook his head "You are more then welcome to look."

So Hephaistion did and found nothing, he stood up and turned sharply to where Cleitus had sat and watched him.

"What is going on here?" he demanded

"I don't have any idea what you are talking about." Cleitus shrugged

At this point Hephaistion throw himself at Cleitus and pulled him up by the front of his clothes

"What do you want from Me." he screamed

Cleitus simply unhooked his hands and held them "I want you." he said

Hephaistion's heart sunk and he snatched his hands away

"You don't get it do you," he said "you can't have me."

Once Hephaistion had left Cleitus put on a cloak and went out of his room and went down to where the wine was kept.

He moved through the barrels counting as he went till he came across one in farthest corner right at the back.

This barrel was different to the others, Cleitus had it specially made and had it brought down here and placed it where it was because he knew that Alexander only took wine from the front it would be sometime before they found this barrel was different.

He had the key around his neck which he took off and put it in the lock at the top of the barrel.

Inside was jewellery, kohl pots, combs, goblets all belonging to Hephaistion?

He took out each item and ran his finger over the design, imaging Hephaistion using them.

He put each one on the floor so he could get to the hidden bottom of the barrel.

At the bottom was one of Hephaistion's chriton which he pulled out and buried his face in it, it still smelled of Hephaistion.

He rolled it up and stuffed it in a leather bag along with a kohl pot and a comb.

He placed the other things back into the barrel and locked it returning the key around his neck and left the palace.

He went to the best whore house in the city

"What can I get you." asked the owner

Cleitus described what he wanted lucky for him the owner had the perfect whore for him and went to get him.

When Cleitus saw the whore the owner had not been wrong he was perfect, same build, same hair length perfect.

"I'll take him." Cleitus said handing over a pouch full of money.

"Excellent," said the owner "There is a free room up the stairs to your left."

Cleitus took the boy by the arm and followed the owner's directions.

Once inside Cleitus took off the bag and held it out in front of the young man

"Go and put that on," he said "And wash that kohl off and put the one in the bag on instead."

The boy went and did what he was told while Cleitus got ready to play his sick game.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Cleitus obsession over Hephaistion consumed him. His games with the whore kept him going but soon he had to double the number of visits and going day or night.

One day Alexander decided he wanted to have some fun and organised some games.

It took several days of planning but when the day of the games arrived Cleitus found himself sitting opposite the royal stand in line with Hephaistion.

As the games began he tried to concentrate on nothing else but every so often he looks over to see what Hephaistion was doing.

He was in the middle of whispering something into Alexander's ear which caused them both to laugh. Cleitus dug his nails into the palm of his hand as once more he tried to watch the games but still found his attention drifting to over the royal stand.

He couldn't take it any more, he stood up and pushed his away passed the seated people and went to his room.

He wrote a quick letter to Hephaistion and summoned his servant.

"Give this to General Hephaistion and wait for his reply." he said

Inside the royal stand Alexander had just taken a bet from Hephaistion, which wrestler would win a man of Alexander choosing against one of Hephaistion's when suddenly one of Alexander's servants came up to them.

"There is a man waiting outside with a letter for General Hephaistion." he said

Alexander looked puzzled at Hephaistion who frowned he knew what it was about.

He stood up "I'll be back in a minute." he said as he patted Alexander's shoulder

"Well hurry I want to win my bet." Alexander called after him

How dare Cleitus he thought as he went to meet the man with the letter.

He had ignored all of his letters and tried to stay as close to Alexander as possible as a deterrent for any unwanted attention that Cleitus had to give.

When he saw Cleitus's servant he took hold of the man by the front of the shirt and pulled him close

"You can take your letter back to your master and tell him to go and fuck the hound of Hades." He said angrily.

He let go of the man and went back to join Alexander.

As he sat back down he smiled a forced smile and picked up his wine goblet.

"What was that about?" Alexander asked

Hephaistion took a sip of wine but since the night of the party he had suddenly lost interest in wine all together so he put it back on the table next to him.

"Do you remember when I asked you whether I left with someone after the party."

Alexander nodded "Yes." though he didn't

"Will I ended up sending the night with them and they thought it was the start of a relationship and I told them that it was a mistake and now they won't leave me alone."

The reaction he got was not one that he was expecting, Alexander laughed.

"By Zeus my Hephaistion a heartbreaker." He said ruffling Hephaistion's hair like a school boy.

Hephaistion moved his head out of the way and pushed Alexander's hand away he was glad that Alexander found the funny side to his troubles.

"Who was it?" Alexander asked

Hephaistion's cheeks went red he tried to think of an excuse not to tell, luckily Alexander said that he didn't have to say if he didn't want to just so long as he could take care of himself.

Hephaistion smiled again that wine looked very tempting now.

When the servant returned he was very reluctant to tell Cleitus what Hephaistion had said until Cleitus threaten him violence did he gave the massage.

Cleitus flew into a blind rage, he threw things, smashed thing and shouted things not just about Hephaistion but Alexander as well.

His servant tried to calm but Cleitus just shrugged him off, he scrambled up and left the palace.

By the time he got to the whore house it was closing.

His hair was sticking up and out from where he had been puling at it, he was all and sweaty and breathing hard from running.

When the owner saw him they laughed

"That bad huh we are closing but since you are one of my best customer I will let you have a free quick one."

The owner winked as they stepped aside to let him in.

He found the whore ready and waiting, Cleitus was a lot forceful than normal

He found that it did help he felt a lot better as he lay on top of the whore panting and listening to his heart beating so fast he thought that it would punch it's way out for his chest.

The next thing he knew he was being pulled off the whore and thrown in to the corner by a well built man and the owner was screaming at him while kicking.

He rolled out of the way and saw what he had tried to do, the owner of the whore house was sat on the edge of the bed arms wrapped around the boy who was sobbing. When he turned his head Cleitus saw the marks around the boy's throat.

The owner turned to him and gave a venomous look

"Nobody lifts a finger to any of my children." they said

Suddenly he found himself being dragged down the stairs and thrown naked out into the street.

"You are no longer welcome here" the owner said "Ever!"

With that they slammed the door and locked it.

Cleitus jumped up and ran to the door, he was so angry that he hardly felt three fingers break as he punched neither the door nor the pain when he set them.

He was still angry when he began to walk back to the palace he was sick of people having things that he couldn't have.

He made a mental note to do something about it starting with Hephaistion.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was late by the time Hephaistion got back to his room, he had planned to stay with Alexander but he had drunk so much that Hephaistion and the others had to carrying him back to his room to sleep it off.

He fumbled around in the dark for something to light the candles with and once he had lit one he used it to light the rest he didn't see Cleitus sat naked in the chair next to the bed.

He jumped when he turned around.

"Cleitus what are you doing here?" he asked a bit annoyed at the intrusion

Cleitus never said a word as he stood up and began advancing towards him with fixed and unblinking eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Hephaistion asked again

He looked down and saw a flash of steel which made him nervous

"Look we can talk if you want just put the knife down." Hephaistion said gently but his plea fell on deaf ears.

He slowly made his way towards the door but Cleitus followed him he tried talking Cleitus down but he still came towards him with that blank stare.

He found himself begin backed into a wall and Cleitus stopped so close that he was pressed right up against him.

Cleitus pushed his face closed to his and began rubbing his cheek against his own Hephaistion could hear him sniffing.

He tried sliding out and away but without breaking contact Cleitus put up his arms boxing him in.

Hephaistion filched as Cleitus continued to touch and once or twice he flicked out his tongue it was as if he was collected memories.

Hephaistion wasn't going to let that happen he managed to draw up his knee and caught Cleitus in the stomach causing him to break contact and stumble back.

Hephaistion ducked under his arms and ran for the door but Cleitus recovered quickly and picked up a small but heavy wooden curving and hurled it at Hephaistion.

It hit Hephaistion in the back with enough force to send him crashing to the floor before he could find his feet again Cleitus was pulling him up and slamming him face first into the wall.

Before Hephaistion could fall Cleitus pulled him up and supported him.

"If I can't have you," he spat "Then no one will."

Hephaistion felt the cold blade of the knife come into contact with the soft flesh of his abdomen and the hot run of blood as Cleitus added a little twist before pulling it out.

He tried to stop the bleeding with his hand but there was just too much blood and his limps started to refuse to obey blood began to fill his throat and trickling down his chin.

He started to fall and Cleitus was long gone before he hit the floor.

What have I done thought Cleitus as he watched Hephaistion trying to stop the bleeding.

He dropped the dagger and stared at his blood covered hands.

He had to get far away from here he let go of Hephaistion and ran taking the quickest way out of the palace.

He found some clothes that had been left hanging out and took them.

They were too big for him so he had to find something to hold them up with.

He finally stopped running when he was far away from the palace as possible, he had no idea where he was or where he should go and it had started to rain heavily.

He found an abandoned hut, the door hung off its hinges and there were holes in the roof but at least it would keep him dry.

He huddled down in the corner and rested his head on his knees and thought of what he had done he looked down at his hands and before he could stop himself he begin to weep.

Hephaistion woke to pain, he felt something wet underneath him he slowly moved his head and found that it was blood

The shock of waking up in blood hit him and he tried to stand up but found he couldn't as it sent bursts of pain all over his body. He laid there listing to his own ragged breathing he faintly remembered Cleitus and the knife Cleitus had stabbed him and then ran away.

Despite his pain that maybe him angry he rolled over on to his side if he couldn't walk then he would crawl to help.

He put one arm out and pulled himself along the floor he bit down on his lip to stopped himself crying out as he pulled his stomach making more blood ooze out but he ignore it and continued to pull himself across the floor.

He managed to reach the door and found it shut summoning all of the little energy he had left he tried to stand but collapse when he found his legs couldn't support him any more.

He felt his eyes lids getting heavy again and this time it felt like it was going to be forever, so in a last disparate attempt he began scratching at the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Authors note

It was hard deciding to kill or not to kill Hephaistion off because though I love him to bits it would be a cliché if he survived.

So what I did was written two Chapter five, printed them off and put them in a box and did a best of three vote ( not me someone else ) isn't democracy great.

Chapter 5

Hephaistion was lost; he was surrounded by blackness and alone.

He had walked around and around but seemed to get nowhere. He had to keep walking because he found that if he stopped he would become so tired that he wanted to lay down for sleep and never wake up.

In his travels he came across a candle that was partly burnt down, he stopped and thought it odd that a candle was place in the middle of all the blackness.

Suddenly a great weariness passed over him and he found himself laying down and closing his eyes and as he lay in front of the candle it began to dim and at the same time a loud shouting began.

Hephaistion put his hands over his ears to block out the shouting, all he wanted were to sleep but the shouting denied him that right.

The candle sparked up as he jumped up in the anger and set out to find the shouter but something made him turn around and watch the candle.

It seemed to get brighter and eat away at the blackness.

Hephaistion opened one eye followed by the other it was night time and the room was bathed in the dying light of candles. He turned his head and found himself confronted with Alexander sound asleep in the chair with his legs drawn up and resting his cheek on one hand his golden hair coving his face.

Hephaistion smiled as once more sleep claimed him but this time he stayed where he was.

His next awaking was during the daytime he rubbed his eyes and looked at the chair it was empty.

He lifted up the covers with one hand and made a gap in his robe with the other. He saw that there was a small linen patch covering the knife wound. He slowly pulled the patch away causing him to wince as the two separated. The wound was still raw but slowly healing Hephaistion replaced the patch.

It was then that he realized that he was hungry he threw back the covers and slide out of bed.

The pain in his abdomen almost made him collapse back on the bed and give up. He sat there panting before he slowly stood up and staged over to his wardrobe for a change of clothes.

Once he had changed he took some small uncertain steps towards the door and out into the corridor.

He found Alexander with the others in his room. As Hephaistion entered he could tell that Alexander was mad by the way he waved his arms around and paced the room like the caged animal.

He was first noticed by Crateros who coughed discreetly causing Alexander to drift to a stop and turned around.

He was shocked and surprised to see Hephaistion stood there he rushed to his friend side.

"Hephaistion what are you doing out of bed." he asked

Hephaistion glad of help "I was hungry." He replied

Alexander ignored all of his generals and smiled "Well I will have some soup brought up once I get you back."

Once Alexander had Hephaistion back in his bed and all tucked in, he ordered the soup and flopped into the chair.

Hephaistion was quiet and it was then that Alexander realized that he had fallen back to sleep.

He reached over and brushed away a couple of strands away from Hephaistion's face as he did so he felt a twinge of relief and sadness as finally the reality of how close he had been to losing Hephaistion hit him.

He remembered how the news of Hephaistion arrived.

It turned out that a guard on his rounds heard scratching coming from Hephaistion's room, when he had called out he got on reply.

He had tried to enter but found that something on Hephaistion's side was stopping the door from opening.

He raised the alarm that something was wrong and Alexander had been sent for.

He remembered how he, despite his drunken head ache had stood outside Hephaistion's room pounding on the door all to no avail.

They couldn't get in by the door so they decided to use a siege ladder to get in to Hephaistion's room by the window.

Alexander had been the first to climb the ladder followed by two guards.

The room had been dark and still when the three men climbed into it

"Hephaistion!" Alexander had called out but there was silence

As one of the guards moved forward they had slipped and almost fell to the floor but had been steadied by his fellow guard.

Alexander had taken a candle and shone it down so that it had lit up the floor and all three where shocked to find blood everywhere.

It started in a pool as if someone had lain in the same spot for a long time and then slithered out in a line which headed towards the door.

They rushed to the end of the trail of blood and found Hephaistion laid out in front of the door not moving.

Alexander crouched down next to his fallen friend and took him in his arms.

There was a large bump on his forehead and a stab wound to his abdomen.

They moved him away from the door so that it could be opened and let everyone in.

"Hold on Hephaistion," Alexander whispered

At that point Hephaistion's eyes fluttered open they showed no recognition of any one being there before shutting again.

They would stay shut for many weeks of uncertainty.

After they had found Hephaistion and got him settled Alexander had called everyone outside Hephaistion's room. He wanted to know what happened to Hephaistion after his last party, he wanted to know who he had left with and why that person couldn't have taken no for answer but the main question he wanted to ask them was why.

Only one person had failed to turn up and that was Cleitus. In the chaos of finding Hephaistion half bled to death Alexander had failed to notice that one of his officers had been missing.

He had sent a guard to Cleitus' room to see where he was while he started discussing the plan to track down Hephaistion's attacker.

A couple of minutes later the guard had returned with news that Cleitus had not in his room neither had he been seen any where in the palace.

It was then that the tiny steps of wonder and doubt first creped into Alexander's thoughts.

He told the guard to set up a search party to find Cleitus and bring him in and told the other to be on the look out as it would seem they wouldn't have to go far.

After that he had dismissed them all and had gone back to watch Hephaistion.

A knocking interrupted Alexander thoughts and before he answered the door he wiped the tears away from his face.

It was the servant with the soup which Alexander took off him and closed the door.

He put it on the table for the time being and went to wake Hephaistion though he didn't want to.

He genteelly shook Hephaistion "wake up honey." He whispered

Hephaistion signed before slowly opened his eyes, he looked surprised to see Alexander standing over him.

"How long was I out." he asked

Alexander helped him sit up "Not long but here is your soup."

He sat down on the edge of the bed and took hold of the bowel he took a spoonful of and offered it to Hephaistion.

After he had eaten Hephaistion snuggled down in to the covers with Alexander laid out next to him.

"What are you doing about Cleitus?" Hephaistion asked suddenly

Alexander looked down at him "What do you want me to do" was the reply

Hephaistion was shocked "Me."

Alexander sat up "I thought you would want to, after all he did try to kill you."

Hephaistion frowned Alexander did have a point he nibbled his bottom lip

" I don't know," he said " I would need to think." he said

Alexander smiled "Or course." he said "Take all the time you need."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It had been nearly a week since Cleitus had fled the palace with the guilt of stabbing Hephaistion, living a beggar's existence and dodging Alexander's soldiers.

Though a wanted man he stayed close to the palace waiting for those black banners to be hung and the construction of a funeral pyre to begin.

But when none of those things happened he knew that Hephaistion had survived yet a part of him thought that it was all a false illusion to try and draw him out.

He suppressed those thoughts by telling himself that Alexander was cunning but he would never played with Hephaistion's death whether he was dead or not.

These thoughts plagued him for many days and nights till he could stand them now longer, he had to know for himself.

So under the cover of darkness dress in his tatty clothes and cloak Cleitus stood watching and waiting for the guards to change, he knew that there would only be a brief window of opportunity.

As soon as that moment came he jogged over to the wall and climbed over dropping down into the garden below, he crouched there for a second looking left and right before moving staying low and in the shadows.

He had just made it in the palace and upstairs when the new guards came on duty.

He ducked into another room as someone walked passed, he waited till they had passed before he slipped out and continued heading for Hephaistion's room.

When he arrived he found the room empty with the bed looking like it had not been slept in for days.

He wondered aimless brushing his hands over objects while the stabbing played over and over in his mind he stopped at the spot where he had left Hephaistion bleeding, there was a large faded stain followed by a longer trail.

He followed that and found another large fading stain by the door there were several scratch marks in the wood.

By Hades he thought Hephaistion had been alive.

The need to see Hephaistion began to take over and he found himself going on a dangerous mission to find him.

He ducked in and out shadows and doorways to avoid the guards and servants; he had a gut feeling where Hephaistion would be.

He stood outside Alexander's room and knew that Hephaistion was inside he took hold of the handle and slowly twisted it causing the door to genteelly swing open.

The room was dark as he moved towards the bed yet again keeping to the shadows, he could make out a body in the bed as he moved closed he could see that there was only one and by some twisted fate the person in the bed was Hephaistion.

His mind screamed at him to leave in case Alexander or someone should come back and find him but he seemed not to hear his minds plea.

He shakily reached out to touch Hephaistion's hair but as he did so Hephaistion moved and rolled over causing him to pull his hand away.

He stood watching for a minute before turning to leave only to find Alexander stood blocking the door with a sword pointing at him.

"I wondered how long it would be before you showed." he said moving further in to the room

At the same time Hephaistion woke up and was shocked to find Alexander stood with a sword pointed Cleitus

"Alexander," he said in confusion as he looked between the two

"Don't worry I have this under control." Alexander replied keeping his eyes fixed on Cleitus

Hephaistion got up using the bed frame as support, he came to stand in between the two.

"You said I could deal punishment." he said placing his hand on Alexander's sword arm and pushing it down " But I need more time."

Alexander looked over at him but the smallest movement made by Cleitus he would begin his sword up .

He nodded his head " I did say that, He said " And so you shall."

Then he turned to Cleitus and said

"I hope for your sake that Hephaistion is merciful."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hephaistion was troubled; Alexander had given him just four days to decide Cleitus' fate.

Sometimes he would go and stand outside the dungeon door where after Alexander had caught Cleitus in his room had him taken.

Get rid of him had been his first thoughts but he knew that if he did that then Cleitus might pose a threat to Alexander and himself.

His mind was still blank on the third and final day, tomorrow the trail would begin and Hephaistion must deal out the punishment.

He was out in the city with two servants that had been assigned to him during his recovery when they passed a group of work men building a simply shop which got him thinking and be the end of the day he had the perfect punishment.

The trial began bright and early; Hephaistion was sat next to Alexander waiting for the prisoner to be brought in.

Cleitus was brought in still dressed in the rags he had worn when he had been caught and bound in chains.

Alexander stood up and spared no time in beginning the questioning, he would ask question after question sometime crossing examining and sometime contradicting.

Cleitus kept his head up high and only answered the question he wanted, sometime he would catch Hephaistion's eye causing him to turn away and look somewhere else.

As it was getting close to the sentencing Alexander finally asked the question he had been longing to ask but decided to save till the end.

"Why?" he asked

Cleitus looked up and meet the king's full gaze.

"Why," he repeated causing Alexander to nodded his head

"You wanted to know why," Cleitus said "Because I was jealous."

Alexander laughed a little "Jealous, of whom?"

"You." Cleitus said

A shocked gasped filled the room and people being to whisper only to be waved hush by Alexander.

"Me, Why?" he asked

Cleitus looked at Hephaistion again and licked his dry lips "I was sick of you having what I could not." he simply replied

This made Alexander mad but he remained calm. "And that gives you the right to try and take Hephaistion away from me."

"No." Cleitus replied flatly

"Alexander nodded his head "I see," then he was silent for a second deep in thought then he turned to Hephaistion. " You can sentence him now he."

Before he sat down he helped Hephaistion stand, Hephaistion held on to the chair arm for support and cleared his throat and turned to face Cleitus.

"Cleitus, "he said "For your crimes I sentence you to be sent from here and be placed in hard labour."  
As he sat he looked at Alexander who nodded his head to approve Hephaistion's decision.

"Make sure that Hephaistion's punishment is carried out immediately." he ordered the guards.

Two guards came to take Cleitus away; as they took him out of the room he got a last glimpse of Hephaistion.

Hephaistion did not turn away this time as the guards led Cleitus away for his dark eyes were filled with an unspoken thank you for being merciful.

Only the touch of Alexander's hand on his arm made he come around.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A month later Hephaistion was sat outside under a lush green tree for shade deep in thought.

With Cleitus now placed in hard labour he had finally gotten back to normal; before they sent him away Cleitus confessed to having and hiding his things.

Once Hephaistion had gotten them back except for a robe and a bottle of kohl, he had tried to go back and use them as normal but the thought of what Cleitus could have done to them sent shivers up and down his spine so in the end he replaced them all.

He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear Alexander come up behind him.

He jumped when someone touched his shoulder.

He spun around and grabbed the person's wrist and almost broke it.

"Oh Gods," He said "Alexander, I am so sorry."

"Well, I have been stood talking to you for the last couple of minutes." replied Alexander rubbing his wrist and sitting down next to him "Is everything alright."

Hephaistion smiled "Yeah, just thinking about something."

"Care to share?" asked Alexander

Hephaistion shrugged "No, not really."

But something in Alexander's face made him stop and rethink.

"I was just wondering about Cleitus." He said

"Oh." was all Alexander could say "And may I ask why."

Hephaistion shrugged again

"I don't know," he said "I just found myself wondering that's all."

Alexander put a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Have no fear, Cleitus is gone and never coming back."

"Yeah, you'll probably right." Hephaistion said settling back against the tree.

They sat in silence for a bit

"Do you ever wonder though." he said suddenly

Alexander punched him lightly "No, that is it he is gone out of sight out of mind and now let's never speak of him again."

Hephaistion thought on that for a second then smiled "yeah, you are right he is gone."

He stood up and stretched "You coming."

Alexander stood up to and put his arm over Hephaistion's shoulder.

And together they walked back.

Meanwhile somewhere Cleitus had just finished breaking a huge and very tough to break stone.

The blocks of rock and stone that he and the others spent all day mining and breaking were used to building temples, palaces and other buildings.

It was a hot sticky day and he stopped to wipe the sweat off his face and stretched the stiffness out of his back.

"Get back to work." someone shouted as they stormed over and gave Cleitus a whip

He flinched; biting his lip he drew air through his nose, by gods how he hated this place.

He hated the whipping, he hated the heat, he hated the repetitive existence that his life had become but above all he hated the men who had put him here.

He had time to think, he had time to make his anger grow.

He had thought about escape but he knew that he wouldn't last long out in the heat so he had time to think of ways to bring Alexander and Hephaistion down.

Time went very slowly and he was glad when the shout came to end it for the day and back into the cells that they had for their room.

He stood up yet again and wiped his face and stretched, he fell in line behind the person in front of him as they were matched back.

As they approached the cell door there was a bucket of water, it wasn't the best water but it would satisfy their thirst.

Cleitus cupped his hands into the bucket and pulled out the water which he brought to his lips and drank before being brutally shoved through the door.

He was matched into his little cell that contented a mattress on the floor with one pillow and a thin blanket, in one corner of the room was his chamber pot which he had to empty every day or it would make the room smell.

The guard pushed him that little bit further into the room before closing the door and locking it.

He hated being locked in here like animal he began to pace.

He pace till his legs refused to pace any more and he flopped down onto the mattress and staring up at the blank ceiling in his mind he began to play makes believe revenge in his head.

After all planning revenge was what kept him going and he hoped that one day he would be able to carry at least one of them out.

The End

Coming soon- The other chapter five


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 5 - DEATH

Hephaistion was lost; he was surrounded by blackness and alone.

He had walked around and around but seemed to get nowhere. He had to keep walking because he found that if he stopped he would become so tired that he wanted to lay down for sleep and never wake up.

In his travels he came across a candle that was partly burnt down, he stopped and thought it odd that a candle was place in the middle of all the blackness.

Suddenly a great weariness passed over him and he found himself laying down and closing his eyes and as he lay in front of the candle it began to dim and at the same time a loud shouting began.

Hephaistion put his hands over his ears to block out the shouting, after a while he tried to get up to go and find the shouter but he felt so peaceful and didn't want to move and he fell deeper and deeper.

The shouting stopped as the candle went out.

It was another grime day in the palace, black banners hung in halls and off balconies and the servants and guards had been order to wear black clothes.

Alexander was sat on Hephaistion empty bed staring into space.

He had lost count of the number of days it had been since Hephaistion had lost the fight to survive.

He put his buried his face in his hands as he remembered how the news of Hephaistion arrived.

It turned out that a guard on his rounds heard scratching coming from Hephaistion's room, when he had called out he got on reply.

He had tried to enter but found that something on Hephaistion's side was stopping the door from opening.

He raised the alarm that something was wrong and Alexander had been sent for.

He remembered how he, despite his drunken head ache had stood outside Hephaistion's room pounding on the door all to no avail.

They couldn't get in by the door so they decided to use a siege ladder to get in to Hephaistion's room by the window.

Alexander had been the first to climb the ladder followed by two guards.

The room had been dark and still when the three men climbed into it

"Hephaistion!" Alexander had called out but there was silence

As one of the guards moved forward they had slipped and almost fell to the floor but had been steadied by his fellow guard.

Alexander had taken a candle and shone it down so that it had lit up the floor and all three where shocked to find blood everywhere.

It started in a pool as if someone had lain in the same spot for a long time and then slithered out in a line which headed towards the door.

They rushed to the end of the trail of blood and found Hephaistion laid out in front of the door not moving.

Alexander crouched down next to his fallen friend and took him in his arms.

There was a large bump on his forehead and a stab wound to his abdomen.

They moved him away from the door so that it could be opened and let everyone in.

"Hold on Hephaistion," Alexander whispered

At that point Hephaistion's eyes fluttered open they showed no recognition of any one being there before shutting again.

They would stay shut for many weeks of uncertainty.

The doctors had done everything they could and when they told him that it was up to Hephaistion he threw himself down on to his friend's body and begged them to do more he even offered to give up some of his blood but they just shook their heads and told him that they were sorry.

Once they had gone he had spent the next couple of minutes ordering Hephaistion not to give up then he went to address his generals.

He wanted to know what happened to Hephaistion after his last party, he wanted to know who he had left with and why that person couldn't have taken no for answer but the main question he wanted to ask them was why.

Only one person had failed to turn up and that was Cleitus. In the chaos of finding Hephaistion half bled to death Alexander had failed to notice that one of his officers had been missing.

He had sent a guard to Cleitus' room to see where he was while he started discussing the plan to track down Hephaistion's attacker.

A couple of minutes later the guard had returned with news that Cleitus had not in his room neither had he been seen any where in the palace.

It was then that the tiny steps of wonder and doubt first creped into Alexander's thoughts.

He told the guard to set up a search party to find Cleitus and bring him in and told the other to be on the look out as it would seem they wouldn't have to go far.

After that he had dismissed them all and had gone back to watch Hephaistion till the end.

Alexander took his head out of his hands and stood up.

He went over to the window and looked out; he saw the first four levels of the high tower on which Hephaistion was to be cremated.

It was going to be a beautiful sight with it hundreds and hundreds of sculptures and carvings and then once it was completed Hephaistion's body would be put in place at the top by a system of pulleys and then at sundown the final send off was to be held.

He turned back signing, he took one look at the room before closing the door and locking it.

Author's note

If I had done this chapter five then Cleitus would have seen the black banners and got in to see Hephaistion only to be caught by Alexander


End file.
